Tuesday

Ms. Higgins, 30, an attorney, is serving her first term as state representative for the 4th Worcester District, which consists of the city of Leominster. This was Mr. Palmieri’s first bid for office.

Mr. Palmieri called Ms. Higgins to concede around 8:30. He said he was extremely proud of the race his team ran.

“The overwhelming support from everyone was truly awesome,” he said. “Rep Higgins ran a clean race and I appreciate that as well. I congratulated her and wished her well.”

Ms. Higgins did not return a phone call.

Born in Leominster, Ms. Higgins said during the campaign that she is a “proud product of Leominster public schools” and the first in her family to attend college, graduating from UMass Amherst in 2009. After graduation, she worked as a teen counselor for Pathways for Change, the Worcester County Rape Crisis Center, before attending Northeastern University School of Law.

Ms. Higgins said her top priorities include: an economy that works for everyone, especially working families in Leominster; debt-free and accessible public education from pre-kindergarten to higher education; increasing access and removing stigma around mental health care, while finding smarter ways to tackle the opioid crisis; and investment in local roads and bridges, and local public transportation, including MART and the commuter rail.

She serves on several subcommittees at the Statehouse, including the joint committees on higher education, community development and small businesses and on mental health, substance use and recovery; and on the House committee on technology and intergovernmental affairs.

Mr. Palmieri, 44, a Republican from Leominster, a former military police officer and Naval Criminal Investigative Service Protective Services agent, said he was running because he believes in creating opportunities for all citizens of Massachusetts.

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